Computer keyboard with enhanced cooling and touch pad

Abstract

An arrangement and method for enhancing the cooling capacity of portable personal computers. The power dissipation of portable personal computers, especially such as laptop computers or the like, is enhanced through the utilization of a split swivable keyboard adapted to provide for an increased cooling surface area for electronic components generating heat during use of the computer.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent is: 
     
       1. An arrangement for enhancing the cooling capacity of a computer having a bottom housing mounting a keyboard and a display panel hingedly connected to a rear edge of said housing for pivotable raising and closing motion relative to said housing, said keyboard being divided into a first left-hand and a second right-hand portion each rotatably mounted on said housing; and linkage means connecting said keyboard portions with said display panel such that upon said display panel being raised said keyboard portions are swivelled apart so as to provide an increased exposed surface area on said housing for dissipating heat generated by at least one electronic component contained in said housing to the surroundings, said linkage means including a pinion mounted in said housing, a gear rack linearly movable by camming means responsive to pivoting displacement of said display panel, a first linkage arm being operatively connected, respectively to said pinion and to the first keyboard portion for swiveling said first keyboard portion between an angularly outwardly pivoted position in the raised position of said display panel and an inwardly pivoted position within the confines of said housing in the closed position of said display panel, a pivot joint articulating a second linkage arm to said first linkage arm which is operatively connected to said second keyboard portion such that the swiveling motion imparted to said first keyboard portion causes a similar oppositely directed swiveling motion of said second keyboard portion, the swivelled apart position of said keyboard portions exposing a central surface area of said housing for enhanced dissipation of heat to the surroundings, and a touch pad being centrally arranged on said housing so as to be exposed in the swivelled apart positions of said keyboard portions. 
     
     
       2. An arrangement for enhancing the cooling capacity of a computer having a bottom housing mounting a keyboard and a display panel hingedly connected to a rear edge of said housing for pivotable raising and closing motion relative to said housing, said keyboard being divided into a first left-hand and a second right-hand portion each rotatably mounted on said housing; and linkage means connecting said keyboard portions with said display panel such that upon said display panel being raised said keyboard portions are swivelled apart so as to provide an increased exposed surface area on said housing for dissipating heat generated by at least one electronic component contained in said housing to the surroundings, said linkage means including an electric motor means mounted in said housing, a lead screw operated by said motor means responsive to said motor means being activated by pivoting displacement of said display panel, a first linkage arm being operatively connected, respectively, to said lead screw and to the first keyboard portion for swiveling said first keyboard portion between an angularly outwardly pivoted position in the raised position of said display panel and an inwardly pivoted position within the confines of said housing in the closed position of said display panel, a pivot joint articulating a second linkage arm to said first linkage arm which is operatively connected to said second keyboard portion such that the swiveling motion imparted to said first keyboard portion causes a similar oppositely directed swiveling motion of said second keyboard portion, the swivelled apart position of said keyboard portions exposing a central surface area of said housing for enhanced dissipation of heat to the surroundings, and a touch pad being centrally arranged on said housing so as to be exposed in the swivelled apart positions of said keyboard portions. 
     
     
       3. An arrangement as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein said linkage means swivels said keyboard portions into a contiguous position upon closing of said display panel over said housing, said keyboard portions being dimensioned to be contained within the confines of said housing in the closed condition of said display panel. 
     
     
       4. An arrangement as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein said touch pad comprises a pen input device. 
     
     
       5. An arrangement as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein said touch pad comprises a mouse. 
     
     
       6. An arrangement as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein said computer comprises a laptop computer. 
     
     
       7. A method of enhancing the cooling capacity a computer having a bottom housing mounting a keyboard and a display panel hingedly connected to a rear edge of said housing for pivotable raising and closing motion relative to said housing, said keyboard being divided into a first left-hand and a second right-hand portion each rotatably mounted on said housing; and linkage means connecting said keyboard portions with said display panel such that upon said display panel being raised said linkage means including a pinion mounted in said housing, a gear rack linearly movable by camming means responsive to pivoting displacement of said display panel, a first linkage arm being operatively connected, respectively, to said pinion and to the first keyboard portion for swiveling said first keyboard portion between an angularly outwardly pivoted position in the raised position of said display panel and an inwardly pivoted position within the confines of said housing in the closed position of said display panel, a pivot joint articulating a second linkage arm to said first linkage arm which is operatively connected second keyboard portion such that the swiveling motion imparted to said first keyboard portion causes a similar oppositely directed swiveling motion of said second keyboard portion, the swivelled apart position of said keyboard portions exposing a central surface area of said housing for enhanced dissipation of heat to the surroundings, and a touch pad being centrally arranged on said housing so as to be exposed in the swivelled apart positions of said keyboard portions. 
     
     
       8. A method of enhancing the cooling capacity of a computer having a bottom housing mounting a keyboard and a display panel hingedly connected to a rear edge of said housing for pivotable raising and closing motion relative to said housing, said keyboard being divided into a first left-hand and a second right-hand portion each rotatably mounted on said housing; and linkage means connecting said keyboard portions with said display panel such that upon said display panel being raised said keyboard portions are swivelled apart so as to provide an increased exposed surface area on said housing for dissipating heat generated by at least one electronic component contained in said housing to the surroundings, said linkage means including electric motor means mounted in said housing, a lead screw operated by said motor means responsive to said motor means being activated by pivoting displacement of said display panel; a first linkage arm being operatively connected, respectively, to said lead screw and to the first keyboard portion for swiveling said first keyboard portion between an angularly outwardly pivoted position in the raised position of said display panel and an inwardly pivoted position within the confines of said housing in the closed position of said display panel, a pivot joint articulating a second linkage arm to said first linkage arm which is operatively connected to said second keyboard portion such that the swiveling motion imparted to said first keyboard portion causes a similar oppositely directed swiveling motion of said second keyboard portion, the swivelled apart position of said keyboard portions exposing a central surface area of said housing for enhanced dissipation of heat to the surroundings, and a touch pad being centrally arranged on said housing so as to be exposed in the swivelled apart positions of said keyboard portions. 
     
     
       9. A method as claimed in claim 7 or 8, wherein said linkage means swivels said keyboard portions into a contiguous position upon closing of said display panel over said housing, said keyboard portions being dimensioned to be contained within the confines of said housing in the closed condition of said display panel. 
     
     
       10. A method as claimed in claim 7 or 8, wherein said touch pad comprises a pen input device. 
     
     
       11. A method as claimed in claim 7 or 8, wherein said touch pad comprises a mouse. 
     
     
       12. A method as claimed in claim 7 or 8, wherein said computer comprises a laptop computer.